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A Logical Investigation of the Phlogiston Case

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Reduction in Science

Part of the book series: Synthese Library ((SYLI,volume 175))

Abstract

The concept of Phlogiston which dominated chemistry in the 18th century until about 1780 has been used as an example in the debate between scientific realists and idealists on scientific progress in history of science. The aim of this paper is to clarify the Phlogiston theory by formalization and axiomatization in order to draw some conclusions which are relevant for this debate. (For a philosophical analysis see Kitcher 1978.)

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References

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fachbereich: Kultur- und Geowissenschaften, Universität Osnabrück, Postfach 4469, D-4500, Osnabrück, Germany

    Andreas Kamlah

Authors
  1. Andreas Kamlah
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Universität München, Germany

    Wolfgang Balzer

  2. Institut für Philosophie, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany

    David A. Pearce

  3. Fachbereich Physik der, Universität Osnabrück, Germany

    Heinz-Jürgen Schmidt

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© 1984 D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrecht, Holland

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Kamlah, A. (1984). A Logical Investigation of the Phlogiston Case. In: Balzer, W., Pearce, D.A., Schmidt, HJ. (eds) Reduction in Science. Synthese Library, vol 175. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-6454-9_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-6454-9_12

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-009-6456-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-009-6454-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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